New year arrives triumphantly in Forecaster Country

If the rest of 2012 is anything like the first week, local sports fans are in for a non-stop treat.

There was drama galore a week ago and plenty of big games to come.

Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

Scarborough’s boys’ basketball team earned a very sweet victory Tuesday night when it beat defending Western A champion Cheverus for the first time, doing so with relative ease, 58-43. Senior Ben Wessel led the way with 14 points. The Red Storm was coming off a 49-44 home win over Thornton Academy last Friday (Wessel and junior Dillon Russo each had 10 points in that one). Scarborough (5-4 and seventh in the Western Class A Heal Points standings as of Wednesday) goes to Noble Friday, then faces a huge home test Monday against undefeated, top-ranked Deering.

South Portland is 7-2 and sixth in the Heals after splitting its last two games. The Red Riots lost at home to Deering last Friday night, 40-29 (junior Tanner Hyland had 11 points), but bounced back Tuesday and won at Sanford, 54-46 (Hyland had 12 points and seniors Logan Gaddar and Jordan Muller finished with 10 apiece). South Portland hosts Portland Friday and goes to Marshwood Monday.

In Western B, Cape Elizabeth has dropped two of its last three games to fall to 5-4 and 10th in the Heals. Last Wednesday, the Capers lost to Waynflete for the first time, trailing from start to finish in a 52-36 decision. Junior Chris Robicheaw had 12 points and classmate Henry Babcock finished with 10.

“(Waynflete’s) a good team,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Jim Ray. “They’re going to win a lot of games. You have to give them credit. They played hard, they played tough, they made shots, they rebounded hard. They did a lot of good things. We haven’t been shooting very well, so there were some restrictions on the type of shots we were supposed to be shooting. As it worked out, we didn’t get to the foul line tonight, which was a goal.”

Last Friday, the Capers bounced back with a 61-49 home win over Poland (Babcock went off for 22 points). Tuesday, Cape Elizabeth lost at Wells in a playoff rematch, 67-53. Babcock finished with 20 in that one. The Capers hosted Yarmouth Thursday and go to Fryeburg Saturday.

“It’s tough, but there’s a lot of season left and a lot of good games left,” said Ray.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, Scarborough has shown it’s for real.

The Red Storm won at Thornton Academy (48-32) and Cheverus (48-36) in recent action to improve to 9-0 and first in the Western A Heals. Against the Golden Trojans, freshman Ashley Briggs had 13 points and junior Mary Redmond finished with 10. At the Stags, Scarborough overcame a slow start with a 30-13 eruption over the middle quarters and went on to the surprising victory behind 15 points off the bench from junior Taylor Leborgne (10 in the second quarter alone), nine from Briggs and seven points, 13 rebounds and five steals from junior Courtney Alofs.

“My shot was falling and the team did well,” Leborgne said. “It started with the defense. I know that I go in and give the team a spark. I help out wherever it’s needed. I play any of the three guard positions, wherever (the team) needs me. It was a fun atmosphere.”

“We knew Cheverus would be a tough team to play, but we knew we had the defense to play them and we proved that on the court tonight,” Alofs said. “We all trust each other so well. We’ve been down before. We knew if we stuck together, we could fight back and win the game and that’s what happened.”

Scarborough hosts Noble Friday, has a showdown at Deering Monday and welcomes undefeated, defending Class A state champion McAuley Friday of next week.

First-year coach Tom Maines certainly likes what he’s seen so far.

“Personally, I took this job wondering if the kids could execute my style of play,” Maines added. “I’m proud of them. They’re great kids to coach. I didn’t know them. I had no idea who started last year. Everything’s new. I didn’t know the league. I don’t know the coaches. Frankly, we play our game and I don’t worry about the opponents or scout, which may be contradictory to many people. We can’t make a big deal of an opponent, saying they do this or that. We play our game. We need to get better on defense. We’re not shooting the ball that well. If we shoot like I think we’re capable of, it will be very tough to beat us.”

South Portland improved to 5-4 and eighth in the standings after holding off visiting Sanford, 39-34, Tuesday, behind 10 points from junior Danica Gleason. The Red Riots are home with Portland Friday and welcome Marshwood Monday.

In Western B, Cape Elizabeth fell to 2-7 and 16th in the Heals after recent losses to visiting Waynflete (41-35), host Poland (43-34) and visiting Wells (33-26). Senior Kayla Raftice had 11 points and junior Marlo Dell’Aquila 10 against the Flyers. Sophomore Emma O’Rourke finished with 13 points and Raftice added 11 in the loss to the Knights. Tuesday, against the Warriors, the Capers took a 25-17 lead into the fourth quarter, but were outscored, 17-1, down the stretch. Raftice had a team-high 13 points. Cape Elizabeth went to Yarmouth Thursday and hosts Fryeburg Saturday.

In Western D, Greater Portland Christian School is 2-3 and seventh in the standings. The Lions went to Calvary Christian Thursday and host Forest Hills Tuesday.

Hockey

Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team leads the Western A Heals with a 7-0-1 mark after recent wins over host South Portland (9-2), visiting Gorham (3-2, in overtime) and visiting Falmouth (5-2). Against the Red Riots, Garrett McDonald had a hat trick and Trevor Murray scored twice. Joe Cronin had the winner against the Rams. In the victory over the Yachtsmen, McDonald had another hat trick. The Red Storm went to defending Class A state champion Thornton Academy Wednesday and hosts Edward Little Saturday.

South Portland improved to 3-4 and 10th in the region by bouncing back from its Scarborough loss with a 6-4 home win over Noble (Andrew Whipple had three goals, Nick Whitten a pair). The Red Riots went to Edward Little Wednesday and host Falmouth Saturday.

Cape Elizabeth beat visiting Cheverus (5-3) and and host Winslow (9-1) last week, but fell to 4-1-2 Monday with a 5-4 loss at Kennebunk. Nick Breed had a hat trick versus the Stags and scored twice in the loss. The Capers (second in the Western B Heals) hosted Marshwood Thursday and has a showdown at Greely Saturday.

On the girls’ side, Scarborough improved to 9-3-1 and third in the West Region after a 5-0 win over Cheverus Saturday and a home triumph over Gorham Tuesday. The Red Storm hosts Portland Friday.

Cape Elizabeth fell to 2-7-1 and seventh in the West after a 7-2 loss at unbeaten Falmouth last Thursday. The Capers went to York Wednesday, visit Biddeford Saturday and go to Edward Little Monday.

Indoor track

Cape Elizabeth opened a new indoor track season last weekend and both teams placed first in a seven-team meet.

Boys’ individual winners included Trevor Ewald in the junior 200 (25.48 seconds), Deven Roberts in the junior 55 hurdles (8.95) and junior high jump (5 feet-4 inches), Will Kriger in the junior shot put (29-10.5), Billy Brooks in the senior 200 (24.33), Thomas Bottomley in the 800 (2 minutes, 17.85 seconds) and Conor Maguire in the long jump (18-2.5). All three relay teams also triumphed: the junior 800 in 1:52.45, the senior 800 in 1:40.45 and the 3,200 in 9:54.35.

Girls’ winners included Hailey Petsinger in the junior high jump (4-4), Alissa Mitchell in the senior shot put (27-11) and the 3,200 relay team (11:28.59).

Scarborough and South Portland took part in a seven-team SMAA meet. The Red Storm was first in both the boys’ and girls’ meets. The Red Riots girls were second and the boys third.

Scarborough boys’ winners included Austin Doody in the junior 55 (7.09), Jerry Kenney in the junior 400 (55.59), Alex Karam in the junior 800 (2:10.98), Cameron Langois in the junior 55 hurdles (8.6) and open 55 hurdles (8.77), Michael Pino in the junior shot put (41-11), Ryan Jamison in the senior 200 (23.85), Alec James in the pole vault (11-6), Robert Hall in the mile (4:36.24), Mike Tudor in the 600 (1:20.82) and the junior 800 relay (1:40.88).

South Portland got wins from Ben Michaud in the junior 200 (24.99) and Duncan Preston in the junior long jump (18-2).

Scarborough’s girls’ winners included Morgan Rodway in the junior 55 (7.67) and junior 200 (27.76), Sarah Rinaldi in the junior high jump (4-10), Nicole Kirk in the senior 55 (7.54) and senior 200 (26.71), Emily Tolman in the senior 400 (1:01.52) and the senior long jump (15-4.75), Catherine Bailey in the pole vault (9 feet) and the junior 800 (1:55.06) and senior 800 (1:52.22) relays.

South Portland got wins from Lauren Magnuson in the junior 400 (1:03.94), Michelle Medici in the junior shot put (27-2) and Cheyenne Coombs in the senior high jump (5-0).

Swimming

In the pool, South Portland swept at recent meet at Gorham, with the boys prevailing, 84-62, and the girls squeaking by, 86-83. Cape Elizabeth’s girls beat McAuley, 126-55. Scarborough was swept by Greely, 63-31 in the boys’ meet and 81-13 in the girls’ meet.

Skiing

Cape Elizabeth’s ski teams are finally underway.

The Capers joined six other schools at a Nordic skate meet at Cranmore, N.H., last week. The girls were runners-up to Falmouth, while the boys placed fifth. Individually, Dana Hatton was runner-up on the girls’ side, finishing the 3.5-kilometer course in 12 minutes, 14.7 seconds. The boys were paced by James Yokabaskas (fourth, 9:32.9).

Monday, Cape Elizabeth’s Alpine team competed against Freeport, Gray-New Gloucester and Yarmouth in a giant slalom meet at Shawnee Peak. The boys were second by a point to the Clippers and the girls came in third. Max Barber won the boys’ race in a two-run combined time of 59.89 seconds. Emma Landes was the Capers’ fastest girl (sixth, 1:10.09).

Scarborough’s girls’ Alpine team opened with a win in a giant slalom meet last week versus Cheverus, Gorham, Kennebunk, Marshwood and Windham. The boys came in third. Individually, Abby Mills was third in the girls’ race (42.07). The top Red Storm male was Kevin Dryzga (13th, 42.75).

Wrestling

Scarborough’s wrestling team took part in the Redskin Invitational last week and came in 16th. Bryan Profit lost by pin in the consolation final at 160 pounds. The Red Storm was at Deering Wednesday, visits Windham Saturday and goes to Massabesic Monday.